Shio Koji Konnyaku Pasta. Shio Koji has been used in Japan for centuries as a seasoning or ingredient.

2018-11-08 12:20:06

Fermentation is an indispensable process in Japanese cuisine. Adding kome (rice) koji, the most commonly used culture, to other ingredients and fermenting them produces miso, soy sauce, sake and other fermented foods traditional to Japan, and growing in popularity around the world.

Koji culture has many uses. Not only is it necessary in fermentation, but when combined with other ingredients, it can be used for flavoring, curing and/or preserving foods. One such example of this is shio koji, a mixture of malted rice (koji), salt (shio) and water.

Shio Koji has been used in Japan for centuries as a seasoning or ingredient. Recently, shio koji has seen resurgence in popularity due to increased interest in fermented foods. The enzymes contained in shio koji break down proteins to pull out umami flavors and this process also contributes to tenderizing meat and fish. The enzymes also decompose starches to draw out the sweetness from ingredients.

Give this Shio Koji Konnyaku Pasta a try!

Ingredients (serves 2 people)

7 nests Konnyaku Noodles

200g Ground beef

56-60g Shio Koji

1 stick Spring onion

2 tbsp Olive oil

1 clove Garlic

Preparation

Mix ground beef with shio koji and set aside for a while. In the meantime, prepare the noodles and cut spring onion diagonally into 5mm pieces.

Bring water to a boil in a pot, put in the konnyaku noodles. Then remove from the heat, let the noodles rest for 7 minutes. Drain the konnyaku noodles in a colander and rinse them under the tap with hot water (this rising in necessary to remove the tapioca syrup coating).

Heat olive oil in the pan. Put garlic, spring onion, ground beef and heat until the meat is cooked. The meat with shio koji can burn easily so it is better to use non-stick pan.

Mix in the konnyaku noodles, then remove from the heat.

Serve in a dish and enjoy!

You can also make your own Shio Koji in are feeling adventurous! It is very easy to do it at your own home.

Ingredients

200g rice koji

4 Tbsp sea salt (Do not use table salt)

1 cup water

Instructions

Dump the koji in a big bowl and crumble it up with your hands. Once it becomes fragrant, mix in the salt and rub it all together.

Add water. If necessary, add more water if it doesn't cover the surface of koji. Rub the koji with your hands.

Transfer it to a few sterilized jars and loosely screw on the lids.

Let the mixture ferment for 7-10 days in room temperature and it is ready to use.